Simbas clawed by Germans

Portugal National Rugby Team Winger Diogo Toorn, left, tries to stop outside Ten Isaack Adimo, with the ball, assisted by Kenya's Winger Jacob Ojee, right during a friendly game at Harliquins grounds on Saturday, May 30th, 2015. PHOTO/ JONAH ONYANGO.

Germany Eagles fly away with victory with last gasp drop goal.

Chris Hiselbank handed Kenya Simbas their first home defeat in four years with a last gasp drop goal as Germany beat Kenya 30-29 in a closely contested Tatu City International test match series at the RFUEA Grounds yesterday.

Simbas led majority of the match only for the German captain to capitalise on Kenya’s lapse in concentration their numerical advantage following Martin Owila’s sending off to give the hosts a bad start to the season.

Germany took the lead through a penalty try but Eric Kerre scored an unconverted try for the hosts before captain Wilson Kopondo outpaced the opposing defence to touch down for a converted try on his return from a long injury lay-off.

However, Hiselbank woud reduce the arrears for the European side to make the scores 12-10 before Biko Adema made a trying saving tackle on the stroke of halftime.

The Germans then scored an unconverted try immediately after the break, taking a 15-12 lead for the first time before Samson Onsomu received a brilliant pass from Darwin Mukidza to ground a converted try.

Kenya extended the lead through David Ambunya’s try after a spectacular solo run from Jacob Ojee before the Germans scored a converted try to make the scores 26-22.

However, Mukidza’s penalty try extended Kenya’s lead before conceding another an unconverted try. Owila was then sin-binned but Germany’s two penalty try attempts went wide.

With the scores 29-27, Kenya seemed to be winning the game only for Hiselbank to break Kenyans’ hearts with a drop kick at the death.

In an earlier match at the same venue, Kenya Commercial Bank successfully retained the Enterprise Cup for the third time in a row after seeing off a resilient Kabras Sugar 27-23 in the final.

The victory came barely a month after the Curtis Olago’s men mauled Kabras 36-8 to reclaim the Kenya Cup title.

KCB won a back to back Enterprise Cup in 2015 and 2016 respectively.

Ugandan sensation Philip Wokorach had grounded a brace of tries with Jone Kubu also scoring for the millers only for Nick Ongeri be awarded a penalty try.

Meanwhile, the Otago Highlanders overcame a halftime deficit to thrash the New South Wales Waratahs 44-28 in Dunedin yesterday and register a ninth straight Super Rugby victory which kept them in touch with the New Zealand conference leaders.

The 2015 champions trailed the 2014 winners by one point at halftime.